1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chin straps used to secure athletic helmets to the head of the wearer, and more specifically to a chin strap for football helmets that provides the capability to attach and release the chin strap quickly and easily.
2. Background and Related Art
Football helmets are commonly used and are required for league play in order to reduce the risk of serious injury that exists due to the severe physical contact that occurs during the game. Players are struck in the head routinely, with a frequency that can reach several occurrences per play, depending on the position. As a result, a great deal of research has been conducted, leading to improvements in head gear technology and methodology that serve to greatly enhance the protective nature of these devices. In one such study, it was discovered that loose fitting helmets are less effective in preventing injury due to the fact that the wearer's head tended to get jarred around, creating impact inside the helmet. As a result, it is common practice to wear a football helmet with the chin strap adjusted for an extremely tight fit in order to maximize the helmet's impact absorbing capabilities. While this practice is effective, it results in discomfort for the wearer and inhibits one's ability to breathe freely through his mouth. As a result, players often remove the chin strap in between plays in order to alleviate this discomfort. However, repeated use of the snap-type fastening means used on conventional football helmets are burdensome to use and often break as a result of frequent use. When this occurs, the player is forced to the sideline for repairs which can be costly to the team where the play is pivotal in the outcome of the game. Furthermore, a penalty can be issued if a player does not secure his chin strap during a play. The present invention solves these problems while allowing the wearer to maintain the requisite degree of helmet security by incorporating the use of a hook and loop fastening means to secure a chin strap to a football helmet. These fasteners are strong, durable, easy to operate and will withstand the rigors and repeated use in a football environment.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however several references, pertaining mainly to helmet chin straps and more specifically football helmet chin straps, were considered related.
Several patents disclose conventional designs for football helmet chin straps. In two-point chin strap models, a chin support cup is attached to a single securing strap extending from each side of the support cup and attaching to the helmet via a snap button securing device. In four-point chin strap models, a chin support cup includes a pair of straps that connect to the helmet laterally, along the side of the helmet at chin-level, and a pair of straps connect to the helmet in a mostly vertical manner, approximately at eye-level:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,811 issued in the name of Jones; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,761 issued in the name of Strohm; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,556 issued in the name of Davenport; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,068 issued in the name of Davenport et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,368 issued in the name of Infusino et al.; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,356 issued in the name of Zide; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,660 issued in the name of Zide et al.
The primary purpose of these devices is to secure the helmet to the head in a manner so as to minimize the movement of the helmet upon impact. All of these devices disclose the use of snap-type devices as the means by which the strap is secured to the helmet. This being the case, it is obvious that none of these disclosures anticipate a quick-attaching means such as that of the present invention nor considers the burdens and maintenance problems associated with the use of snap-type devices as a motivating factor in the development of the individual chin strap designs. While these disclosures do anticipate the need to adjust the chin straps so as to allow for a tight fit, they neglect to address the inherent problems associated with the use of snap-type fasteners, i.e. difficult operation and the tendency to malfunction or break after repeated use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,694,649 and 5,575,017, both issued in the name of Hefling et al., describe an elastic strapping means used to secure a hat or helmet in place on the wearer's head. Intended for use in a baseball batting or catcher's helmet, an elastic strap extends across the interior cavity of the helmet shell, from front to back in a V-shaped configuration. The wearer places the helmet on his/her head passing in between the two lengths of strapping, causing them to become displaced. The elastic quality of the strapping creates a friction fit with the wearer's head, securing the helmet thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 5,511,250, issued in the name of Field et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,142,705, issued in the name of Edwards disclose strapping means used to secure a batting or catcher's helmet in place on the wearer's head. Both devices consist of an adjustable annular strap that circumscribes the interior cavity of the helmet, adjusting to fit the exact size of the wearer's head. The Field et al. device incorporates an adjustment wheel that increases/decreases the size of the strap when turned. The Edwards device incorporates a hook and loop fastening means to adjust the strap.
All of these devices exhibit clear differences, both in spirit and function, from the present invention and thus do not preclude its novelty nor anticipate its design. There is no mention in the disclosures of any use in conjunction with football helmets or other like protective devices. The degree to which these devices secure the helmet to the wearer's head is slight in comparison to that of the present invention. It is obvious from the disclosure that the helmet can easily be knocked off or even fall off in situations of rigorous physical activity. The Hefling et al. disclosures do anticipate the use of a chin strap to further secure the helmet to the wearer's head, however the helmet incorporates a conventional snap-type fastening means to secure the chin strap and, regardless, neither the chin strap nor the fastening means are claimed as part of the invention. Although the Edwards invention does incorporate a hook and loop fastening means to enable adjustment in a quick and easy manner, the motivation behind the invention differs substantially from that of the present invention and by no means anticipates the novel use or design of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,521, issued in the name of Uke and U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,200, issued in the name of Feder disclose quick-adjustment straps for underwater diving masks in which a hook and loop fastening means is used to allow the user to secure, adjust and remove the mask. While the motivation behind these inventions is to provide a fast and easy way in which to secure the mask, use of such a system for football helmets or the like is not anticipated in the disclosure.
While several features exhibited within these references are incorporated into this invention, alone and in combination with other elements, the present invention is sufficiently different so as to make it distinguishable over the prior art.